Magnetoresistive memory device and method of operating same using ferroelectric-controlled exchange coupling

ABSTRACT

A magnetoresistive memory cell includes a magnetoresistive layer stack containing a reference layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. A ferroelectric material layer having two stable ferroelectric states is coupled to a strain-modulated ferromagnetic layer to alter a sign of magnetic exchange coupling between the strain-modulated ferromagnetic layer and the free layer. The strain-modulated ferromagnetic layer may be the reference layer or a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy layer that is located proximate to the ferroelectric material layer. The magnetoresistive memory cell may be configured as a three-terminal device or as a two-terminal device, and may be configured as a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) device or as a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) device.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of magnetic memorydevices and specifically to magnetoresistive memory devices and methodsof operating the same using ferroelectric-controlled exchange coupling.

BACKGROUND

Spin-transfer torque (STT) refers to an effect in which the orientationof a magnetic layer in a magnetic junction structure or spin valve ismodified by a spin-polarized current. Generally, electric current isunpolarized with electrons having random spin orientations. A spinpolarized current is one in which electrons have a net non-zero spin dueto a preferential spin orientation distribution. A spin-polarizedcurrent can be generated by passing electrical current through amagnetic polarizer layer. When the spin-polarized current flows througha free layer of a magnetic junction structure or a spin valve, theelectrons in the spin-polarized current can transfer at least some oftheir angular momentum to the free layer, thereby producing a torque onthe magnetization of the free layer. When a sufficient amount ofspin-polarized current passes through the free layer, spin-transfertorque can be employed to flip the orientation of the spin (e.g., changethe magnetization) in the free layer. A resistance differential of amagnetic junction structure between different magnetization states ofthe free layer can be employed to store data within the magnetoresistiverandom access memory (MRAM) cell depending if the magnetization of thefree layer is parallel or antiparallel to the magnetization of thepolarizer layer, also known as a reference layer.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a memory deviceincludes at least one three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell 380which comprises a first terminal electrode 32, a second terminalelectrode, a middle electrode located between the first terminalelectrode and the second terminal electrode, a magnetoresistive layerstack comprising a reference layer, a free layer and a nonmagneticspacer layer located between the reference layer and the free layer,wherein the magnetoresistive layer stack is located between the firstterminal electrode and the middle electrode, and a ferroelectricmaterial layer located between the middle electrode and the secondterminal electrode.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a memory deviceincludes at least one magnetoresistive memory cell which comprise afirst terminal electrode, a second terminal electrode, amagnetoresistive layer stack comprising a reference layer, a free layerand a dielectric tunnel barrier layer located between the referencelayer and the free layer, wherein the magnetoresistive layer stack islocated between the first terminal electrode and the second terminalelectrode, a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer having ahigher PMA than a PMA of the free layer, wherein the PMA layer islocated between the second terminal electrode and the magnetoresistivelayer stack, a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer located betweenthe PMA layer and the free layer, and a ferroelectric material layerlocated between the PMA layer and the second terminal electrode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary circuit including an arrayof three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cells according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a first exemplary magnetoresistive memory deviceaccording to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second exemplary magnetoresistive memory deviceaccording to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary circuit including an arrayof two-terminal magnetoresistive memory cells according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a third exemplary magnetoresistive memory deviceaccording to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, the embodiments of the present disclosure aredirected to magnetoresistive memory devices and methods of operating thesame using ferroelectric-controlled exchange coupling, the variousaspects of which are described below.

The drawings are not drawn to scale. Multiple instances of an elementmay be duplicated where a single instance of the element is illustrated,unless absence of duplication of elements is expressly described orclearly indicated otherwise. Same reference numerals refer to the sameelement or to a similar element. Elements having the same referencenumerals are presumed to have the same material composition unlessexpressly stated otherwise. Ordinals such as “first,” “second,” and“third” are employed merely to identify similar elements, and differentordinals may be employed across the specification and the claims of theinstant disclosure. As used herein, a first element located “on” asecond element can be located on the exterior side of a surface of thesecond element or on the interior side of the second element. As usedherein, a first element is located “directly on” a second element ifthere exist a physical contact between a surface of the first elementand a surface of the second element. As used herein, an “in-process”structure or a “transient” structure refers to a structure that issubsequently modified.

As used herein, a “layer” refers to a material portion including aregion having a thickness. A layer may extend over the entirety of anunderlying or overlying structure, or may have an extent less than theextent of an underlying or overlying structure. Further, a layer may bea region of a homogeneous or inhomogeneous continuous structure that hasa thickness less than the thickness of the continuous structure. Forexample, a layer may be located between any pair of horizontal planesbetween, or at, a top surface and a bottom surface of the continuousstructure. A layer may extend horizontally, vertically, and/or along atapered surface. A substrate may be a layer, may include one or morelayers therein, and/or may have one or more layer thereupon, thereabove,and/or therebelow.

As used herein, a “layer stack” refers to a stack of layers. As usedherein, a “line” refers to a layer that has a predominant direction ofextension, i.e., having a direction along which the layer extends themost.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a schematic diagram is shown for an exemplarycircuit including an array of three-terminal memory cells 380 accordingto the first and second embodiments of the present disclosure. Theexemplary circuit may comprise a random access memory (RAM) device 500including the memory cells 380 in an array configuration. As usedherein, a “random access memory” (RAM) refers to a memory devicecontaining memory cells that allow random access, e.g., access to anyselected memory cell upon a command for reading the contents of theselected memory cell. According to an aspect of the present disclosure,the memory cells 380 comprise three-terminal magnetoresistive memorycells.

The RAM device 500 includes a memory array region 550 including wordlines 60, sensing bit lines 30, and programming (i.e., writing) bitlines 90. In one embodiment, a first terminal electrode of each memorycell 380 can be electrically connected to one of the sensing bit lines30, and a second terminal electrode of each memory cell 380 can beelectrically connected to one of the programming (i.e., writing) bitlines 90. Alternatively, a first terminal electrode of each memory cell380 can be electrically connected to one of the programming bit lines90, and a second terminal electrode of each memory cell 380 can beelectrically connected to one of the sensing bit lines 30. A thirdelectrode, which is also referred to as a middle electrode, of eachmemory cell 380 may be connected to one of the word lines 60. In oneembodiment, the sensing bit lines may be referred to as firstelectrically conductive lines 30 and the programming bit lines may bereferred to as second electrically conductive lines 90. The word linesmay be referred to as third electrically conductive lines 60. While theexemplary circuit illustrates an exemplary configuration for routing theprogramming bit lines, the sensing lines, and the word lines, variousother types of routing of electrically conductive lines may also beemployed provided that each memory cell 380 is accessed by a respectiveset of three different independently-controlled electrically conductivelines. Furthermore, the terms “bit line” and “word line” are arbitrarynames that are assigned to various conductive lines for clarity, butshould not be considered limiting.

In an illustrative example, the RAM device 500 may also contain a rowdecoder 560 connected to the word lines 60, a sense amplifier circuitryconnected to the sensing bit lines 30, and a programming circuitryconnected to the programming bit lines 90. In some embodiments, thesense amplifier circuitry and the programming circuitry are collectivelyreferred to as a sensing/programming circuitry 570. A column decoder 580and a data buffer 590 can be connected to the sensing/programmingcircuitry 570. A row decoder 560 can be connected to the word lines 60.Multiple instances of the memory cells 380 are provided in an arrayconfiguration that forms the RAM device 500. It should be noted that thelocation and interconnection of elements are schematic and the elementsmay be arranged in a different configuration. Further, a memory cell 380may be manufactured as a discrete device, i.e., a single isolateddevice.

Each memory cell 380 includes a magnetic junction structure having atleast two different resistive states depending on the alignment ofmagnetizations of different magnetic material layers. The magneticjunction structure within each memory cell 380 is provided between afirst terminal electrode and a second terminal electrode. In oneembodiment, the magnetic junction structure within each memory cell 380can be provided between the first terminal electrode and a middleelectrode.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a first exemplary magnetoresistive memory deviceaccording to a first embodiment of the present disclosure isillustrated, which comprises a memory cell 380 that is a three-terminalmagnetoresistive memory cell and a portion of a sensing/programmingcircuitry configured to program the three-terminal magnetoresistivememory cell. The three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell of FIG. 2may comprise one memory cell 380 within the MRAM device 500 illustratedin FIG. 1 , and the portion of the sensing/programming circuitryillustrated in FIG. 2 may be a portion of the peripheral (i.e., driver)circuitry illustrated in FIG. 1 .

According to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, thethree-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell illustrated in FIG. 2 maycomprise, from one side to another in a sequential order, a firstterminal electrode 32, a magnetic junction structure, such as a magnetictunnel junction (MTJ) 140 (or a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) junctionstructure 240 illustrated in FIG. 3 ), a nonmagnetic electricallyconductive layer 70, a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer 66,a middle electrode 52, a ferroelectric material layer 80, and a secondterminal electrode 92.

Generally, the three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell can be formedover a substrate 10 by depositing and patterning various material layersfor forming each component of the three-terminal magnetoresistive memorycell. For example, the substrate 10 may comprise a semiconductorsubstrate (e.g., silicon wafer) on which various semiconductor devices(such as field effect transistors) are formed, and dielectric materiallayers embedding metal interconnect structures that are electricallyconnected to the semiconductor devices. Alternatively, the substrate 10may comprise an insulating (e.g., glass or ceramic) substrate or aconductive (e.g., metal) substrate. The second electrically conductiveline 90 and the second terminal electrode 92 can be formed over thesubstrate 10. The second terminal electrode 92 may comprise a portion ofthe second electrically conductive line 90 or it may comprise a separateconductive layer which is electrically connected to the secondelectrically conductive line 90. The ferroelectric material layer 80 canbe deposited over the second terminal electrode 92. A conductivematerial, such as a metal or metal alloy, may be deposited to form thethird electrically conductive line 60 and the middle electrode 52. Thethird terminal electrode 92 may comprise a portion of the thirdelectrically conductive line 60 or it may comprise a separate conductivelayer which is electrically connected to the third electricallyconductive line 60. A stack of material layers can be deposited andpatterned to form a stack of the PMA layer 66, the nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer 70, and the magnetic junction structure(such as the magnetic tunnel junction 140 or the GMR junction). Thefirst electrically conductive line 30 and the first terminal electrode32 can be formed over the magnetic junction structure. The secondterminal electrode 32 may comprise a portion of the first electricallyconductive line 30 or it may comprise a separate conductive layer whichis electrically connected to the first electrically conductive line 30.The above layers may be patterned into any desired shape, such as apillar structure shown in FIG. 2 using one or more patterning (e.g., ionmilling or etching) steps. Insulating layer or layers may be formedaround the pillar structure and between the various electricallyconductive lines.

Alternatively, the order of formation for the combination of the firstterminal electrode 32, the magnetic tunnel junction 132, the nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer 70, the PMA layer 66, the middle electrode52, the ferroelectric material layer 80, and the second terminalelectrode 92 may be reversed. Generally, the magnetic junction structureincludes a stack of a reference layer 132, a nonmagnetic spacer layer,and a free layer 136. In case the magnetic junction structure includes amagnetic tunnel junction 140 of the first embodiment, then the magnetictunnel junction 140 can include a layer stack of a reference layer 132,a dielectric tunnel barrier layer 134, and a free layer 136. In case themagnetic junction structure includes the GMR junction structure 240 ofthe second embodiment, then the dielectric tunnel barrier layer 134 isreplaced with a nonmagnetic electrically conductive (e.g., metal ormetal alloy) spacer layer 234, as shown in FIG. 3 .

Each of the first electrically conductive line 30, the first terminalelectrode 32, the second terminal electrode 92, and the secondelectrically conductive line 90 can include a nonmagnetic electricallyconductive material such as W, Al, Cu, Ru, Mo, TiN, TaN, WN, MoN, etc.

The ferroelectric material layer 80 includes a ferroelectric material,which may be a single crystalline ferroelectric material or apolycrystalline ferroelectric material. The crystallographic orientationof the single crystalline ferroelectric material can be selected suchthat a change in the electrical polarization in the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 induces a change in an average in-plane strain of theferroelectric material layer 80. The average in-plane strain refers tothe average of the in-plane strain in the ferroelectric material layer80. An in-plane strain refers to the component of the strain that ismeasured along a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to a top surfaceof the ferroelectric material layer 80.

Alternatively, the ferroelectric material layer 80 comprises apolycrystalline ferroelectric material. The distribution of thecrystallographic orientations within the grains of the polycrystallineferroelectric material of the ferroelectric material layer 80 can besuch that the ferroelectric material layer 80 can be programmed into twoferroelectric states having a net “upward” dielectric polarization or anet “downward” dielectric polarization. In one embodiment, the twoferroelectric states of the ferroelectric material layer 80 inducedifferent average in-plane strains in the ferroelectric material layer80.

In one embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 can include atransition metal oxide material. In one embodiment, the transition metaloxide material comprises a hafnium oxide based material, which comprisesdoped or undoped hafnium oxide. In an illustrative example, theferroelectric material layer 80 may include single crystalline hafniumoxide doped with zirconium (also referred to as hafnium-zirconiumoxide), silicon, strontium, aluminum, yttrium, germanium and/orgadolinium.

In another embodiment, the transition metal oxide material comprises aperovskite material, such as barium titanate (BaTiO₃; BT), europiumbarium titanate, lead scandium tantalate (such as Pb(Sc_(x)Ta_(1-x))O₃),lead titanate (such as PbTiO₃; PT), lead zirconate titanate (such as Pb(Zr,Ti) O₃; PZT), lithium niobate (such as LiNbO₃; LN), (LaAlO₃)),potassium niobate (such as KNbO₃), sodium bismuth titanate (such asNa_(0.5)Bi_(0.5)TiO₃), lithium tantalate (such as LiTaO₃ (LT)), leadlanthanum titanate (such as (Pb,La)TiO₃ (PLT)), lead lanthanum zirconatetitanate (such as (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PLZT)), strontium titanate (SrTiO₃)or strontium ruthenate (SrRuO₃).

In one embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 may comprise amultiferroic material. As used herein, a “multiferroic” material refersto a material that exhibits at least two of a ferromagnetic-type order(such as ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, or ferrimagnetism),ferroelectricity, and ferroelasticity. As used herein, a“magnetoelectric multiferroic” refers to a material that exhibits aferromagnetic-type order and ferroelectricity. A change in totalmagnetization is coupled to a change in total electric polarization in amagnetoelectric multiferroic, and thus, a magnetic transition can becoupled to a change in the ferroelectric polarization and vice versa. Inone embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 comprises, and/orconsists essentially of, a polycrystalline multiferroic material. Therelative orientation between non-zero ferroelectric polarizationnon-zero magnetization of the magnetoelectric multiferroic materialwithin each grain of the ferroelectric material layer 80 can beinvariant upon reversal of a direction of the non-zero ferroelectricpolarization of the grain. In an illustrative example, the relativeorientation between the ferroelectric polarization of a crystallinegrain of BiFeO₃ and the magnetization of BiFeO₃ of the crystalline grainof BiFeO₃ can be invariant upon reversal of a direction of the non-zeroferroelectric polarization of BiFeO₃, Generally, the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 may comprise any polycrystalline multiferroic materialor a single crystalline multiferroic material that can generate anon-zero net magnetization along an axial direction either as deposited,or upon application of an initializing magnetic field or an initializingelectrical field. In an illustrative example, the ferroelectric materiallayer 80 may comprise a material selected from BiFeO₃, h-YMnO₃, BaNiF₄,PbVO₃, BiMnO₃, LuFe₂O₄, HoMn₂O₅, h-HoMnO₃, h-ScMnO₃, h-ErMnO₃, h-TmMnO₃,h-YbMnO₃, h-LuMnO₃, K₂SeO₄, Cs₂CdI₄, TbMnO₃, Ni₃V₂O₈, MnWO₄, CuO,ZnCr₂Se₄, LiCu₂O₂, and Ni₃B₇O₁₃I. The ferroelectric material layer 80may be deposited by a suitable deposition method such as physical vapordeposition.

The thickness of the ferroelectric material layer 80 may be in a rangefrom 2 nm to 100 nm, such as from 5 nm to 30 nm, for example about 10nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses may also be employed. Athermal anneal can be performed to improve crystallinity of the materialof the ferroelectric material layer 80 and to enhance ferroelectricproperties (such as magnitude of electrical polarization) of theferroelectric material of the ferroelectric material layer 80. In anillustrative example, the ferroelectric material layer 80 may be a doped(e.g., Zr, Si or Al doped) hafnium oxide based ferroelectric layerhaving the ferroelectric non-centrosymmetric orthorhombic phase afterthe anneal.

In one embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 comprises, and/orconsists essentially of, a transition metal oxide material that isselected from a hafnium oxide based material or a perovskite material.In one embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 is singlecrystalline or polycrystalline with a predominant crystallographicorientation that is aligned along the vertical direction.

In one embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 has two stableferroelectric states having two different states of lattice deformationand two different ferroelectric polarization directions. In oneembodiment, the two different states of lattice deformation havedifferent average in-plane lattice constants within a horizontal plane.The two different states of lattice deformation apply different in-planestress (i.e., stress along horizontal direction) to the PMA layer 66that is subsequently formed on the ferroelectric material layer 80.

The middle electrode 52 includes a thin nonmagnetic metal or metal alloylayer that is thin enough to transmit the strain in the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 to an overlying material layer, such as the PMA layer66. In one embodiment, the middle electrode 52 comprises at least onenonmagnetic electrically conductive material such as W, Al Cu, Ru, Mo,Ti, Ta, TiN, TaN, WN, MoN, and/or a stack or an alloy thereof. Thethickness of the middle electrode 52 may be in a range from 0.6 nm to 10nm, such as from 1 nm to 3 nm, although lesser and greater thicknessesmay also be employed.

The PMA layer 66 comprises a ferromagnetic material having relativelyhigh perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The easy axis of magnetizationof the PMA layer 66 is parallel to the vertical direction either bypointing upward toward the MTJ 140 or by pointing downward toward themiddle electrode 52. In one embodiment, the ferromagnetic material ofthe PMA layer 66 can include, and/or can consist essentially of a metalor metal alloy which has a higher PMA than that of the free layer 136.For example, the PMA layer 66 may comprise an iron-platinum or aniron-palladium alloy ferromagnetic layer. The thickness of the PMA layer66 can be in a range from 1 nm to 10 nm, such as from 2 nm to 8 nm,although lesser and greater thicknesses may also be employed.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the PMA layer 66 is astrain-modulated ferromagnetic layer having different magneticinterlayer exchange coupling (IEC) magnitude with the free layer 136depending on the in-plane stress applied by the ferroelectric materiallayer 80 through the middle electrode 52 to the PMA layer 66. Someferromagnetic materials have strain-dependent magnetic anisotropy, andthe direction of minimum energy of the magnetization of suchferromagnetic materials can switch from one direction to anotherdirection (which may be an opposite direction) depending on the strainapplied to the ferroelectric materials. Examples of strain-inducedmagnetic anisotropy changes are described in Wang et al., E-fieldControl of the RKKY interaction in FeCoB/Ru/FeCoB/PMN-PT(011)Multiferroic Heterostructures, Advanced Materials, Volume 30, Issue 39(2018) 1803612, and in Song et al., Recent Progress in voltage controlof magnetism: Materials, mechanisms, and performance, Progress inMaterials Science, Volume 87, June 2017, Pages 33-82, the entirety ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

The nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 is a nonmagnetic spacerlayer that includes a metallic material (e.g., metal or metal alloy)that includes a medium for a Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY)interaction, which is a long range magnetic exchange coupling mediatedby d-shell electron spins or f-shell electron spins of the nonmagneticelemental metal within the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70.Generally, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 may includeany nonmagnetic elemental metal that can function as the medium for theRKKY interaction between the PMA layer 66 and the free layer 136. Forexample, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 may includeAl, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Os,Jr, Pt, Au, etc. For example, the nonmagnetic electrically conductivelayer 70 may comprise an Al, Ta or Jr spacer layer.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the thickness of thenonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 is selected such that thesign of the RKKY exchange coupling between the PMA layer 66 and the freelayer 136 changes depending on the ferroelectric state of theferroelectric material layer 80, which causes the magnetizationdirection of the free layer 136 to change. In an illustrative example,the thickness of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 may bein a range from 0.6 nm to 5 nm, such as from 1.2 nm to 3 nm, althoughlesser and greater thicknesses may also be employed.

The free layer 136 includes a ferromagnetic material such as CoFeB, CoFeor a combination thereof. If a CoFeB alloy is included in the free layer136, then the atomic concentration of boron atoms within the CoFeB alloymay be in a range from 10% to 30% (such as 20%), the atomicconcentration of cobalt atoms within the CoFeB alloy may be in a rangefrom 10% to 40% (such as 15%), and the atomic concentration of Fe in theCoFeB layer may be in a range from 50% to 90% (such as 65%). Thethickness of the free layer 136 can be in a range from 0.5 nm to 2 nm,although lesser and greater thicknesses can also be employed.

The nonmagnetic spacer layer may be a dielectric tunnel barrier layer134 for forming a magnetic tunnel junction, or may be a metallic spacerlayer for forming a giant magnetoresistive structure. For example, thedielectric tunnel barrier layer 134 may comprise, and/or may consistessentially of magnesium oxide. In one embodiment, the dielectric tunnelbarrier layer 134 has a thickness in a range from 0.5 nm to 1.5 nm, suchas from 0.8 nm to 1 nm.

The reference layer 132 can include a CoFe layer, a CoFeB layer or acombination thereof. The thickness of the reference layer 133 can be ina range from 1 nm to 5 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses canalso be employed. The reference layer 132 has a fixed magnetization thatdoes not change during operation of the memory cell 380. The directionof the fixed magnetization direction of the reference layer 132 isherein referred to as a fixed reference magnetization direction, whichmay be an upward vertical direction or a downward vertical direction.The magnetization direction of the reference layer 132 may be fixed by ahard magnetic layer or a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure(not shown) located above the reference layer 132.

The magnetization direction of the free layer 136 can change duringoperation of the memory cell 380. The magnetization direction of thefree layer 136 is herein referred to as a free magnetization direction.

The magnetization of the PMA layer 66 remains fixed during operation ofthe memory cell 380. The magnetization direction of the PMA layer 66 isherein referred to as a PMA magnetization direction, which may beparallel or antiparallel to the direction of the magnetization of thereference layer 32. The exchange coupling between the magnetization ofthe free layer 136 and the magnetization of the PMA layer 66 is mediatedby an RKKY interaction, and as such, the sign of the exchange couplingmay be positive or negative. As discussed above, the sign of theinterlayer exchange coupling reverses (i.e., changes) depending on thechange in strain of the PMA layer 66. The strain of the PMA layer 66 ischanged by the change of the ferroelectric polarization direction of theferroelectric material layer 80. The ferroelectric polarizationdirection of the ferroelectric material layer 80 is changed by applyinga voltage or current between the second terminal electrode (i.e., theprogramming electrode) 92 and the middle electrode 52. Thus, theenergetically favorable direction for the magnetization of the freelayer 136 changes with a small change in the strain of the PMA layer 66,which can be induced by the ferroelectric transition in theferroelectric material layer 80.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the exchange couplingbetween the free layer 136 and the PMA layer 66 can be positive ornegative depending on the relative alignment (i.e., parallel alignmentor antiparallel alignment) and depending on the strain applied by theferroelectric material layer 80 to the strain-modulated ferromagneticPMA layer 66. Specifically, the sign of the interlayer exchange couplingbetween the free layer 136 and the PMA layer 66 may be negative for oneof the parallel or antiparallel alignment of the magnetizations of thefree layer 136 and the PMA layer 66 when the ferroelectric materiallayer 80 is in a first ferroelectric state, and may be positive for theother of the parallel or antiparallel alignment when the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 is in a second ferroelectric state. The two differentferroelectric states may have opposite ferroelectric polarizationdirections.

Generally, the sign of the interlayer exchange coupling between the freelayer 136 and the PMA layer 66 changes when the ferroelectric state ofthe ferroelectric material layer 80 changes between the firstferroelectric state that applies a first in-plane average stress to thePMA layer 66, and the second ferroelectric state that applies a secondin-plane average stress to the PMA layer 66. A change in the sign of theinterlayer exchange coupling between the free layer 136 and themagnetization of the PMA layer 66 causes flipping of the magnetizationdirection of the free layer 136 between a parallel alignment and anantiparallel alignment with the constant magnetization direction of thePMA layer 66.

In the first exemplary memory cell 380, the magnetic tunnel junction 140can be configured such that the free layer 136 is spaced from the PMAlayer 66 by the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70, which isdifferent from a nonmetallic spacer layer (such as the dielectric tunnelbarrier layer 134) that is provided between the reference layer 132 andthe free layer 136. The ferroelectric material layer 80 may be locateddirectly on a first surface of the middle electrode 52, and the PMAlayer 66 may be located directly on a second surface of the middleelectrode 52. The free layer 136 has a free magnetization having twostable magnetization directions. The sign of magnetic interlayerexchange coupling between the PMA layer 66 and the free layer 136 isdifferent for the two stable ferroelectric states of the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80.

Generally, a strain-modulated ferromagnetic PMA layer 66 may be locateddirectly on a second surface of the middle electrode 52. Amagnetoresistive layer stack comprising the reference layer 132, thenonmagnetic spacer layer, and the free layer 136 can be disposed betweenthe first terminal electrode 32 and the middle electrode 52. In thefirst embodiment, the nonmagnetic spacer layer may comprise thedielectric tunnel barrier layer 134. In this case, the magnetoresistivelayer stack comprises a magnetic tunnel junction providing a tunnelingmagnetoresistance (TMR) effect. In the second embodiment described belowwith respect to FIG. 3 , the nonmagnetic spacer layer may be nonmagneticelectrically conductive spacer layer (i.e., a second nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer) 234. In this case, the magnetoresistivelayer stack comprises a giant magnetoresistive stack providing the giantmagnetoresistance (GMR) effect.

Generally, a programming circuit can be provided, which can beelectrically connected to the middle electrode 52 and the secondterminal electrode 92. The programming circuit can be configured toapply two types of programming voltage pulses between the middleelectrode 52 and the second terminal electrode 92 (e.g., between theprogramming bit line 90 and the word line 60). In one embodiment, thetwo types of programming voltage pulses may have two differentpolarities (i.e., a positive polarity for one type of programming pulseand a negative polarity for another type of programming pulse), and mayhave magnitudes that induce a ferroelectric transition of theferroelectric material layer 80 between two ferroelectric states. Forexample, the magnitude of each pulse may be in a range from 0.5 V to 5V, such as from 1 V to 4 V.

A sensing circuit can be provided, which can be electrically connectedto the first terminal electrode 32 and the middle electrode 52, and canbe configured to apply a sensing voltage pulse across the first terminalelectrode 32 and the middle electrode 52. The sensing circuit can beconfigured to measure tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of themagnetoresistive layer stack 140 by applying a sensing (i.e., read)voltage between the first terminal electrode 32 and the middle electrode52 (e.g., between the sensing bit line 30 and the word line 60), andmeasuring the TMR (e.g., measuring the tunneling current and determiningthe TMR) through the MTJ 140. The sensing voltage magnitude should besufficiently small to avoid changing the magnetization direction of thefree layer 136.

Referring to FIG. 3 , a second exemplary magnetoresistive memory deviceaccording to a second embodiment of the present disclosure isillustrated, which can be derived from the first exemplarymagnetoresistive memory device illustrated in FIG. 3 by omitting thenonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 and the PMA layer 66, andby employing the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) junction structure 240 asa magnetic junction structure. In this case, the GMR junction structure240 includes a reference layer 132, a nonmagnetic spacer layer that is anonmagnetic electrically conductive layer (e.g., a nonmagnetic metalspacer layer) 234, and a free layer 136. The material composition andthe thickness range of each element of the second exemplarymagnetoresistive memory device that has a counterpart with a samereference numeral in the first exemplary magnetoresistive memory devicecan be the same as in the first exemplary magnetoresistive memorydevice.

In the second exemplary magnetoresistive memory device, the referencelayer 132 may be located over or directly on the second surface of themiddle electrode 52. The free layer 136 may be more distal from themiddle electrode 52 than the reference layer 132 is from the middleelectrode 52, and is spaced from the reference layer 132 by thenonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 234. According to an aspect ofthe present disclosure, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer234 provides the interlayer exchange coupling between the free layer 136and the reference layer 132. Therefore, the PMA layer 66 is not requiredin the second embodiment to provide an interlayer exchange coupling tothe free layer 136 which causes the magnetization direction of the freelayer 136 to switch when the sign of the interlayer exchange couplingchanges.

Specifically, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 234 is anonmagnetic spacer layer that includes a metallic material that includesa medium for a Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction.Generally, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 234 may includeany nonmagnetic elemental metal that can function as the medium for theRKKY interaction between the reference layer 132 and the free layer 136.For example, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 234 mayinclude Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, La,Ce, Pr, Pm, Eu, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Jr, Pt, Au, etc. Inan illustrative example, the thickness of the nonmagnetic electricallyconductive layer 234 may be in a range from 0.6 nm to 5 nm, such as from1.2 nm to 3 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses may also beemployed.

According to the second embodiment, the sign of the RKKY interlayerexchange coupling between the reference layer 132 and the free layer 136changes depending on the ferroelectric state of the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80. In the second embodiment, an applied programming(i.e., writing) voltage between the middle electrode 52 and the secondterminal electrode 32 changes the ferroelectric polarization directionof the ferroelectric material layer 80. As in the first embodiment, thechange in the ferroelectric polarization direction creates strain thatpropagates though the thin middle electrode 52 and reverses the sign ofinterlayer exchange coupling between the reference layer 132 and thefree layer 136. Reversing the sign of the interlayer exchange couplingchanges the magnetization direction of the free layer 136. This changesthe resistance state (i.e., the GMR state) of the GMR junction structure240, which corresponds to programming (i.e., writing) the memory cell380 of the second embodiment.

To read the memory cell 380, a small sensing (i.e., read) voltage (i.e.,smaller magnitude voltage than the programming voltage) is appliedbetween the middle electrode 52 and the first terminal electrode 32. Thecurrent measured between these electrodes is then used to determine theGMR state of the GMR junction structure 240 (i.e., the resistance stateof the memory cell 380).

Referring to FIG. 4 , a schematic diagram is shown for an exemplarycircuit including an array of two terminal memory cells 480 of the thirdembodiment. The array of memory cells 480 may be configured as atwo-dimensional array or as a three-dimensional array including a stackof multiple two-dimensional arrays. In one embodiment, the exemplarycircuit may comprise a random access memory (RAM) device 501 includingthe memory cells 480 in an array configuration. According to an aspectof the present disclosure, the memory cells 480 may comprisetwo-terminal magnetoresistive memory cells. In this case, the RAM device501 can be a random access memory device including a two-terminalmagnetoresistive memory element within each memory cell 480.

In one embodiment, the RAM device 501 includes a memory array region 550including word lines and bit lines. In one embodiment, a first terminalelectrode of each memory cell 480 can be electrically connected to oneof the bit lines, and a second terminal electrode of each memory cell480 can be electrically connected to one of the word lines. In oneembodiment, the bit lines may comprise the first electrically conductivelines 30 and the word lines may comprise the second electricallyconductive lines 90. Alternatively, the word lines may comprise thefirst electrically conductive lines 30 and the bit lines comprise thesecond electrically conductive lines 90. While the exemplary circuitillustrates an exemplary configuration for routing the bit lines and theword lines, various other types of routing electrically conductive linesmay also be employed provided that each memory cell 480 is accessed by arespective set of two different independently-controlled electricallyconductive lines. In the third embodiment, each bit line functions asboth a sensing and as a programming bit line, depending on the magnitudeof the voltage applied to the bit line. Thus, separate sensing bit linesof the first and second embodiment are omitted in the third embodiment.

In an illustrative example, the RAM device 501 may also contain a rowdecoder 560 connected to the word lines and a sensing/programmingcircuitry 570 connected to the bit lines. A column decoder 580 and adata buffer 590 can be connected to the sensing/programming circuitry570. Multiple instances of the memory cells 480 are provided in an arrayconfiguration that forms the RAM device 501. It should be noted that thelocation and interconnection of elements are schematic and the elementsmay be arranged in a different configuration. Further, a memory cell 480may be manufactured as a discrete device, i.e., a single isolateddevice.

Each memory cell 480 includes a magnetic junction structure having atleast two different resistive states depending on the alignment ofmagnetizations of different magnetic material layers. The magneticjunction structure within each memory cell 480 is provided between afirst terminal electrode and a second terminal electrode.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a third exemplary magnetoresistive memory deviceaccording to the third embodiment of the present disclosure isillustrated, which comprises a memory cell 480 that is a two-terminalmagnetoresistive memory cell, and a portion of a sensing/programmingcircuitry configured to program the two-terminal magnetoresistive memorycell. The two-terminal magnetometries memory cell of FIG. 5 may beemployed as a memory cell 480 within the MRAM device 501 illustrated inFIG. 4 , and the portion of the sensing/programming circuitryillustrated in FIG. 5 may be a portion of the periphery circuitryillustrated in FIG. 5 .

According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the two-terminalmagnetoresistive memory cell 480 illustrated in FIG. 5 may be derivedfrom the three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell 380 illustrated inFIG. 2 by omitting formation of the middle electrode 52. In this case,the two-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell 380 may comprise, from oneside to another in a sequential order, a first terminal electrode 32,the magnetic junction structure, such as the magnetic tunnel junction140, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70, the PMA layer 66,the ferroelectric material layer 80, and the second terminal electrode92, as described above with respect to the first embodiment of FIG. 2 .Thus, the various components of the two-terminal magnetoresistive memorycell 480 may have the same material composition and the same thicknessrange as a counterpart in the three-terminal magnetoresistive memorycell 380 having the same reference numeral.

The two-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell 480 of the thirdembodiment is programmed by applying a programming voltage between thefirst terminal electrode 32 and the second terminal electrode 92. Theprogramming (i.e., writing) voltage changes the ferroelectricpolarization direction of the ferroelectric material layer 80. As in thefirst embodiment, the change in the ferroelectric polarization directioncreates strain in the adjacent PMA layer 66. The stain induced in thePMA layer 66 reverses the sign of interlayer exchange coupling betweenthe PMA layer 66 and the free layer 136. Reversing the sign of theinterlayer exchange coupling changes the magnetization direction of thefree layer 136. This changes the resistance state (i.e., the TMR state)of the tunnel junction structure 140, which corresponds to programming(i.e., writing) the memory cell 480 of the third embodiment. The thirdembodiment is advantageous compared to the first embodiment in that thestrain is provided directed from the ferroelectric material layer 80 tothe adjacent PMA layer 66 without having to be transmitted through themiddle electrode 52. Thus, a greater strain induced effect may beprovided to the PMA layer 66 to improve the switching of themagnetization direction of the free layer 136.

To read the memory cell 480, a small sensing (i.e., read) voltage (i.e.,smaller magnitude voltage than the programming voltage) is appliedbetween the first terminal electrode 32 and the second terminalelectrode 92. The read current measured between these electrodes is thenused to determine the resistance state (e.g., the TMR state) of the MTJ140 (i.e., the resistance state of the memory cell 480). The sensingvoltage of the third embodiment may be higher than the sensing voltageof the first embodiment because the tunneling current has to tunnelthrough the insulating ferroelectric material layer 80 in order to bedetected.

A memory device 500 of the first and second embodiments of FIGS. 1-3includes at least one three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell 380which comprises a first terminal electrode 32, a second terminalelectrode 92, a middle electrode 52 located between the first terminalelectrode 32 and the second terminal electrode 92, a magnetoresistivelayer stack (140, 240) comprising a reference layer 132, a free layer136 and a nonmagnetic spacer layer (134, 234) located between thereference layer and the free layer, wherein the magnetoresistive layerstack is located between the first terminal electrode 32 and the middleelectrode 52, and a ferroelectric material layer 80 located between themiddle electrode 52 and the second terminal electrode 80.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , a perpendicular magneticanisotropy (PMA) layer 66 is located between the ferroelectric materiallayer 80 and the magnetoresistive layer stack 140, and nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer 70 is located between the PMA layer 66 andthe free layer 33.

In the first embodiment, the nonmagnetic spacer layer 134 comprises adielectric tunnel barrier layer, the magnetoresistive layer stackcomprises a magnetic tunnel junction 140, the PMA layer 66 has a higherPMA than a PMA of the free layer 136, and the PMA layer 66 and the freelayer 136 are magnetically exchange-coupled across the nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer 70. A sign of an interlayer exchangecoupling coefficient of the magnetic coupling between the PMA layer 66and the free layer changes 136 based on a strain applied to the PMAlayer 66 by the ferroelectric material layer 80 across the middleelectrode 52. The ferroelectric material layer 80 has two stableferroelectric states having two different states of lattice deformation.

In the first embodiment, a programming circuit (560, 570) iselectrically connected to the middle electrode 52 and the secondterminal electrode 92 and configured to apply two types of programmingvoltages between the middle electrode and the second terminal electrode.The two types of programming voltages have two different polarities andhave magnitudes that induce a ferroelectric transition of theferroelectric material layer 80 between the two stable ferroelectricstates. The two stable ferroelectric states of the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 apply different first and second in-plane stresses tothe PMA layer 66 across the middle electrode 52, a change between thefirst and the second in-plane stresses applied to the PMA layer 66changes the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficient between the PMAlayer 66 and the free layer 136, and the change of the sign of theinterlayer coupling coefficient changes a magnetization direction of thefree layer 136. A sensing circuit 570 is electrically connected to thefirst terminal electrode 32 and the middle electrode 52 and configuredto apply a sensing voltage between the first terminal electrode and themiddle electrode to determine a tunneling magnetoresistance across themagnetoresistive layer stack 140.

In the first embodiment, a first (e.g., bottom) surface of the PMA layer66 directly contacts a first (e.g., top) surface of the middle electrode52, a surface of the ferroelectric material layer 80 directly contacts asecond (e.g., bottom) surface of the middle electrode 52 opposite to thefirst surface of the middle electrode, a second (e.g., top) surface ofthe PMA layer 66 directly contacts a first (e.g., bottom) surface of thenonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70, a first (e.g., bottom)surface of the free layer 136 directly contacts a second (e.g., top)surface of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 opposite tothe first surface of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer, anda second (e.g., top) surface of the free layer directly contacts asurface of the dielectric tunnel barrier layer 134. The free layer 136may comprise a CoFe or CoFeB ferromagnetic layer, and the PMA layer 66may comprise a FePt or FePd ferromagnetic layer or a Co/Pt multilayer(i.e., a stack of alternating Co and Pt layers).

A method of operating the three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell380 of the first embodiment includes applying a first programmingvoltage between the second terminal electrode 92 and the middleelectrode 52 to change a state of the ferroelectric material layer 80from a second ferroelectric state to a first ferroelectric state, suchthat a first in-plane stress is applied to the PMA layer 66 across themiddle electrode 52, which changes the sign of the interlayer couplingcoefficient between the PMA layer 66 and the free layer 136 and changesa magnetization direction of the free layer 136 to be parallel to amagnetization direction of the reference layer 132. The method alsoincludes applying a second programming voltage having an oppositepolarity to the first programming voltage between the second terminalelectrode 92 and the middle electrode 52 to change the state of theferroelectric material layer 80 from the first ferroelectric state tothe second ferroelectric state, such that a second in-plane stress isapplied to the PMA layer 66 across the middle electrode 52, whichchanges the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficient between the PMAlayer 66 and the free layer 136 and changes the magnetization directionof the free layer 136 to be antiparallel to the magnetization directionof the reference layer 132. The method also includes applying a sensingvoltage between the first terminal electrode 32 and the middle electrode52 to determine a tunneling magnetoresistance across themagnetoresistive layer stack 140.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , the nonmagnetic spacer layercomprises a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer 234, themagnetoresistive layer stack 240 comprises a giant magnetoresistance(GMR) junction structure, the reference layer 132 and the free layer 136are magnetically coupled across the nonmagnetic electrically conductivespacer layer 234, and a sign of an interlayer exchange couplingcoefficient of the magnetic coupling between the reference layer 132 andthe free layer 135 changes based on a strain applied to the referencelayer 132 by the ferroelectric material layer 80 across the middleelectrode 52.

In the second embodiment, the programming circuit (560, 570) iselectrically connected to the middle electrode 52 and the secondterminal electrode 92 and configured to apply two types of programmingvoltages between the middle electrode and the second terminal electrode,and a sensing circuit 570 is electrically connected to the firstterminal electrode 32 and the middle electrode 52 and configured toapply a sensing voltage between the first terminal electrode and themiddle electrode to determine a magnetoresistance across themagnetoresistive layer stack 240.

In the second embodiment, the ferroelectric material layer 80 has twostable ferroelectric states having two different states of latticedeformation, the two types of programming voltages have two differentpolarities and have magnitudes that induce a ferroelectric transition ofthe ferroelectric material layer 80 between the two stable ferroelectricstates, the two stable ferroelectric states of the ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 apply different first and second in-plane stresses tothe reference layer 132 across the middle electrode 52, a change betweenthe first and the second in-plane stresses applied to the referencelayer 132 changes the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficientbetween the reference layer 132 and the free layer 136, and the changeof the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficient changes amagnetization direction of the free layer 136.

In the second embodiment, a surface of the reference layer 132 directlycontacts a first (e.g., top) surface of the middle electrode 52, and asurface of the ferroelectric material layer 80 directly contacts asecond (e.g., bottom) surface of the middle electrode opposite 52 to thefirst surface of the middle electrode.

A method of operating the three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell380 of the second embodiment includes applying a first programmingvoltage between the second terminal electrode 92 and the middleelectrode 52 to change a state of the ferroelectric material layer 80from a second ferroelectric state to a first ferroelectric state, suchthat a first in-plane stress is applied to the reference layer 132across the middle electrode 52, which changes the sign of the interlayercoupling coefficient between the reference layer 132 and the free layer136 and changes a magnetization direction of the free layer 136 to beparallel to a magnetization direction of the reference layer 132. Themethod also includes applying a second programming voltage having anopposite polarity to the first programming voltage between the secondterminal electrode 92 and the middle electrode 52 to change the state ofthe ferroelectric material layer 80 from the first ferroelectric stateto the second ferroelectric state, such that a second in-plane stress isapplied to the reference layer 132 across the middle electrode 52, whichchanges of the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficient between thereference layer 132 and the free layer 136 and changes the magnetizationdirection of the free layer 136 to be antiparallel to the magnetizationdirection of the reference layer 132. The method also includes applyinga sensing voltage between the first terminal electrode 32 and the middleelectrode 52 to determine a magnetoresistance across themagnetoresistive layer stack 240.

In the first and third embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 , amemory device (500, 501) includes at least one magnetoresistive memorycell (380, 480) which comprise a first terminal electrode 32, a secondterminal electrode 92, a magnetoresistive layer stack 140 comprising areference layer 132, a free layer 136 and a dielectric tunnel barrierlayer 134 located between the reference layer and the free layer,wherein the magnetoresistive layer stack 140 is located between thefirst terminal electrode and the second terminal electrode, aperpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer 66 having a higher PMAthan a PMA of the free layer 136, wherein the PMA layer is locatedbetween the second terminal electrode 92 and the magnetoresistive layerstack 140, a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer 70 locatedbetween the PMA layer 66 and the free layer 136, and a ferroelectricmaterial layer 80 located between the PMA layer 66 and the secondterminal electrode 92.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , a middle electrode 52 islocated between the ferroelectric material layer 80 and the PMA layer66, as described above.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the PMA layer 66 is in contactwith the ferroelectric material layer 80 and the nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer 70. The PMA layer 66 and the free layer136 are magnetically exchange-coupled across the nonmagneticelectrically conductive layer 70. The magnetic coupling between the PMAlayer 66 and the free layer 136 is modulated by strain within the PMAlayer 66. A sign of an interlayer exchange coupling coefficient of themagnetic coupling between the PMA layer 66 and the free layer 136changes based on a strain applied to the PMA layer 66 by theferroelectric material layer 80.

In the third embodiment, a programming circuit (560, 570) iselectrically connected to the first terminal electrode 32 and the secondterminal electrode 92 and configured to apply two types of programmingvoltages between the first terminal electrode and the second terminalelectrode. The two types of programming voltages have two differentpolarities and have magnitudes that induce a ferroelectric transition ofthe ferroelectric material layer 80 between the two ferroelectricstates. A sensing circuit 570 is electrically connected to the firstterminal electrode 32 and the second terminal electrode 92 andconfigured to apply a sensing voltage between the first terminalelectrode and the second terminal electrode. The sensing circuit 570 isconfigured to measure a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of themagnetoresistive layer stack 140.

A method of operating the two terminal magnetoresistive memory cell of480 of the third embodiment includes applying a first programmingvoltage between the second terminal electrode 92 and the first terminalelectrode 32 to change a state of the ferroelectric material layer 80from a second ferroelectric state to a first ferroelectric state, suchthat a first in-plane stress is applied to the PMA layer 66 by theferroelectric material layer 80, which changes the sign of theinterlayer coupling coefficient between the PMA layer 66 and the freelayer 136 and changes a magnetization direction of the free layer 136 tobe parallel to a magnetization direction of the reference layer 132. Themethod also includes applying a second programming voltage having anopposite polarity to the first programming voltage between the secondterminal electrode 92 and the first terminal electrode 32 to change thestate of the ferroelectric material layer 80 from the firstferroelectric state to the second ferroelectric state, such that asecond in-plane stress is applied to the PMA layer 66 by theferroelectric material layer 80, which changes the sign of theinterlayer coupling coefficient between the PMA layer 66 and the freelayer 136 and changes the magnetization direction of the free layer 136to be antiparallel to the magnetization direction of the reference layer132. The method also includes applying a sensing voltage between thefirst terminal electrode 32 and the second terminal electrode 92 todetermine a tunneling magnetoresistance across the magnetoresistivelayer stack 140.

Thus, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the magnetizationdirection of the free layer may be set using ferroelectric controlledinterlayer exchange coupling of the ferromagnetic free layer and anotherferromagnetic layer (e.g., the PMA layer or the reference layer). Theelectric field controlled strain from ferroelectric material layer thatreverses the sign of exchange coupling between ferromagnetic layers.Written information can be read through either TMR or GMR effect.

Although the foregoing refers to particular preferred embodiments, itwill be understood that the disclosure is not so limited. It will occurto those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications may bemade to the disclosed embodiments and that such modifications areintended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Where an embodimentemploying a particular structure and/or configuration is illustrated inthe present disclosure, it is understood that the present disclosure maybe practiced with any other compatible structures and/or configurationsthat are functionally equivalent provided that such substitutions arenot explicitly forbidden or otherwise known to be impossible to one ofordinary skill in the art. All of the publications, patent applicationsand patents cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. A memory device comprising at least onethree-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell which comprises: a firstterminal electrode; a second terminal electrode; a middle electrodelocated between the first terminal electrode and the second terminalelectrode; a magnetoresistive layer stack comprising a reference layer,a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer located between thereference layer and the free layer, wherein the magnetoresistive layerstack is located between the first terminal electrode and the middleelectrode; and a ferroelectric material layer located between the middleelectrode and the second terminal electrode.
 2. The memory device ofclaim 1, further comprising a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA)layer located between the ferroelectric material layer and themagnetoresistive layer stack.
 3. The memory device of claim 2, furthercomprising a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer located betweenthe PMA layer and the free layer.
 4. The memory device of claim 3,wherein: the nonmagnetic spacer layer comprises a dielectric tunnelbarrier layer; the magnetoresistive layer stack comprises a magnetictunnel junction; the PMA layer has a higher PMA than a PMA of the freelayer; and the PMA layer and the free layer are magneticallyexchange-coupled across the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer.5. The memory device of claim 4, wherein a sign of an interlayerexchange coupling coefficient of the magnetic coupling between the PMAlayer and the free layer changes based on a strain applied to the PMAlayer by the ferroelectric material layer across the middle electrode.6. The memory device of claim 5, wherein the ferroelectric materiallayer has two stable ferroelectric states having two different states oflattice deformation.
 7. The memory device of claim 6, further comprisinga programming circuit electrically connected to the middle electrode andthe second terminal electrode and configured to apply two types ofprogramming voltages between the middle electrode and the secondterminal electrode.
 8. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the twotypes of programming voltages have two different polarities and havemagnitudes that induce a ferroelectric transition of the ferroelectricmaterial layer between the two stable ferroelectric states.
 9. Thememory device of claim 8, wherein: the two stable ferroelectric statesof the ferroelectric material layer apply different first and secondin-plane stresses to the PMA layer across the middle electrode; a changebetween the first and the second in-plane stresses applied to the PMAlayer changes the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficient betweenthe PMA layer and the free layer; and the change of the sign of theinterlayer coupling coefficient changes a magnetization direction of thefree layer.
 10. The memory device of claim 7, further comprising asensing circuit electrically connected to the first terminal electrodeand the middle electrode and configured to apply a sensing voltagebetween the first terminal electrode and the middle electrode todetermine a tunneling magnetoresistance across the magnetoresistivelayer stack.
 11. The memory device of claim 4, wherein: a first surfaceof the PMA layer directly contacts a first surface of the middleelectrode; a surface of the ferroelectric material layer directlycontacts a second surface of the middle electrode opposite to the firstsurface of the middle electrode; a second surface of the PMA layerdirectly contacts a first surface of the nonmagnetic electricallyconductive layer; a first surface of the free layer directly contacts asecond surface of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer oppositeto the first surface of the nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer;and a second surface of the free layer directly contacts a surface ofthe dielectric tunnel barrier layer.
 12. The memory device of claim 4,wherein: the free layer comprises a CoFe or CoFeB ferromagnetic layer;and the PMA layer comprises a FePt or FePd ferromagnetic layer or aCo/Pt multilayer.
 13. The memory device of claim 1, wherein: thenonmagnetic spacer layer comprises a nonmagnetic electrically conductivespacer layer; the magnetoresistive layer stack comprises a giantmagnetoresistance (GMR) junction structure; the reference layer and thefree layer are magnetically coupled across the nonmagnetic electricallyconductive spacer layer; and a sign of an interlayer exchange couplingcoefficient of the magnetic coupling between the reference layer and thefree layer changes based on a strain applied to the reference layer bythe ferroelectric material layer across the middle electrode.
 14. Thememory device of claim 13, further comprising: a programming circuitelectrically connected to the middle electrode and the second terminalelectrode and configured to apply two types of programming voltagesbetween the middle electrode and the second terminal electrode; and asensing circuit electrically connected to the first terminal electrodeand the middle electrode and configured to apply a sensing voltagebetween the first terminal electrode and the middle electrode todetermine a magnetoresistance across the magnetoresistive layer stack.15. The memory device of claim 14, wherein: the ferroelectric materiallayer has two stable ferroelectric states having two different states oflattice deformation; the two types of programming voltages have twodifferent polarities and have magnitudes that induce a ferroelectrictransition of the ferroelectric material layer between the two stableferroelectric states; the two stable ferroelectric states of theferroelectric material layer apply different first and second in-planestresses to the reference layer across the middle electrode; a changebetween the first and the second in-plane stresses applied to thereference layer changes the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficientbetween the reference layer and the free layer; and the change of thesign of the interlayer coupling coefficient changes a magnetizationdirection of the free layer.
 16. The memory device of claim 13, wherein:a surface of the reference layer directly contacts a first surface ofthe middle electrode; and a surface of the ferroelectric material layerdirectly contacts a second surface of the middle electrode opposite tothe first surface of the middle electrode.
 17. A method of operating thethree-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell of claim 5, comprising:applying a first programming voltage between the second terminalelectrode and the middle electrode to change a state of theferroelectric material layer from a second ferroelectric state to afirst ferroelectric state, such that a first in-plane stress is appliedto the PMA layer across the middle electrode, which changes the sign ofthe interlayer coupling coefficient between the PMA layer and the freelayer and changes a magnetization direction of the free layer to beparallel to a magnetization direction of the reference layer; andapplying a second programming voltage having an opposite polarity to thefirst programming voltage between the second terminal electrode and themiddle electrode to change the state of the ferroelectric material layerfrom the first ferroelectric state to the second ferroelectric state,such that a second in-plane stress is applied to the PMA layer acrossthe middle electrode, which changes the sign of the interlayer couplingcoefficient between the PMA layer and the free layer and changes themagnetization direction of the free layer to be antiparallel to themagnetization direction of the reference layer.
 18. The method claim 17,further comprising applying a sensing voltage between the first terminalelectrode and the middle electrode to determine a tunnelingmagnetoresistance across the magnetoresistive layer stack.
 19. A methodof operating the three-terminal magnetoresistive memory cell of claim13, comprising: applying a first programming voltage between the secondterminal electrode and the middle electrode to change a state of theferroelectric material layer from a second ferroelectric state to afirst ferroelectric state, such that a first in-plane stress is appliedto the reference layer across the middle electrode, which changes thesign of the interlayer coupling coefficient between the reference layerand the free layer and changes a magnetization direction of the freelayer to be parallel to a magnetization direction of the referencelayer; and applying a second programming voltage having an oppositepolarity to the first programming voltage between the second terminalelectrode and the middle electrode to change the state of theferroelectric material layer from the first ferroelectric state to thesecond ferroelectric state, such that a second in-plane stress isapplied to the reference layer across the middle electrode, whichchanges of the sign of the interlayer coupling coefficient between thereference layer and the free layer and changes the magnetizationdirection of the free layer to be antiparallel to the magnetizationdirection of the reference layer.
 20. The method claim 19, furthercomprising applying a sensing voltage between the first terminalelectrode and the middle electrode to determine a magnetoresistanceacross the magnetoresistive layer stack.